When The Circus Comes To Town
by PacoThePenguinShallAvengeMe
Summary: Bella Swan doesn't believe that excitement really exists in Forks. But when one of her friends convinces her to go to a circus that is truly different, Bella finds herself in a world where there really is nothing but excitement. *Criticism is wanted!*
1. A Circus?

**A/N: Okay, so this was just some random idea I had, loosely based off of Cirque Du Freak (great series, I recommend it) and decided to try it out. **

**Disclaimer: I, dancingwithEdward, do not own anything Twilight related….but you already knew that. **

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BPOV

School is monotonous. It's an easy routine to fall into. You wake up at the same time five days a week, you eat breakfast, head out to school, chat aimlessly with a group of friends who were nice enough to accept you, then make your way through the stream of students in the claustrophobic halls. You get through your classes the best you can, head home, do homework with the occasional social life leaking through, and then head off to bed before the whole thing started again. The first few days are exciting as you get back into the routine after two months of freedom…but after that…just pure monotone.

It's rare to find something that is exciting enough to sway one from the routine that is blatently set up before us. Especially in the dreer and dull town of Forks, Washington, where everyone group up with everyone else. Here, everyone knew when there was a change, so by the time it hit you; you had time to prepare for it. There was no such thing as a surprise in Forks.

I was brought out of my thoughts by a neon green sheet of paper being thrusted in my face. I blinked rapidly. God, you don't get much more of a headache than going from staring at the pale discolored wall above your ancient teachers head to looking at a blindingly bright green paper! Once my vision refocused I took in the bigger picture and saw Jessica Stanely, one of my few good friends here, standing in front of me with a pleading expression on her face.

She shook in paper in her outstretched hand, urging me to read it. I sighed and took it from her. It was a short advertisment for a…circus? I snorted and looked at Jessica, who had taken her seat beside me, with disbelief.

" A circus, Jess? Really?" I like to think that I'm just a little bit more mature than to go to a circus. Besides, if it were passing through such an insignificant town as Forks…it honestly can't be any good. Jessica sighed and took the paper from me.

" Not just any circus, Bella" she cleared her throat and began reading, adding a bit of commentary every now and then. " _'The Cullen Circus'_, not a very original name, really _'Come and enjoy a night of spectacular feats beyond your believable imagination'_ I like that phrase "believable imagination" '_Limited seating, first come first serve. One night only, so do not miss out of a night of events to rival all others' _Doesn't it sound fun, Bella?"

" It sounds like a hoax, Jess. What circus comes to Forks anyway?" I asked her. She glared at me, and sat up straighter, putting on her defensive front.

" It sounds like just the thing you need, Ms. Life-Is-Bound-To-Being-Boring-Once-School-Starts." I sighed and tried to turn my attention to Mr. Banner, who was struggling to readjust his hearing aid. Poor guy probably didn't even realize that the room was chaotic with voices yelling across the space.

" Please Bella?" Jessica begged quietly from beside me. I looked at her, already close to falling into her guilt trip.

" Why me? Why not Angela? Or Lauren?" I asked her, referring to two of her friends (Angela was mine as well…the latter on the other hand…). Jessica bit her lip and looked down, looking slightly guilty.

" I can't go without someone else. And my parents trust you more than them." They trust me more than Angela? The minister's daughter? " They think that if we did get into some sort of trouble, the fact that your dad is the Chief of Police will keep me from going to jail this time." Ooohhhhh….that explains it.

Jessica was a wild child, the complete opposite of me at times. She partied, she hooked up, and she did have a dark time in her life where she rolled with the wrong crowd. For six months she was caught up in drugs, alcohol, sex, and thievery. Good ole' Charlie caught her trying to rob a liquor store (the only one in Forks), he was all for throwing in jail for a few days for underaged drinking, trespassing, breaking and entering, and then attempted theft, but I intervened. Only I would be able to sway his love for the law. I quickly explained that she was just hanging with the wrong crowd and that she'll get back on track.

She didn't go to jail…but she did go to rehab for the drugs and alcohol addiction she'd accumulated in those six months. Yet, now her parents are afraid to let her loose on the streets of Forks without me there, just incase something happened and Dad got called. I sighed. Jess was on lockdown without me…I couldn't stand to be the reason she didn't get fresh air…or the reason she snuck out.

" Fine, but you owe me." I agreed. She squealed and tackled me almost out of my chair. Mr. Banner was still adjusting his hearing aids, so he didn't even notice, but everyone else did.

" Whoa, girl on girl in the classroom." I hear Mike, the winner of the biggest pervert award, whisper to Tyler, his lacky. I rolled my eyes and right both myself and Jessica in our seats. It didn't seem like she heard what he said; she was too busy talking about how much fun we were going to have. I just nodded along and fixated my eyes on the discolored wall again.

Though I really didn't feel like a circus type, I couldn't stop myself from hoping that this maybe would make life so much more exciting than it was as of now. Then again, what good circus comes to Forks?

Apparently, The Cullen Circus.

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**A/N: Okay, it's not much now, but there's more to come. I've already got the ideas for the next chapter in my head. Reviews are loved (both good and bad) and they make me type faster! :D **


	2. Let the show begin

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**A/N: Thank you for the reviews, guys!!!! You have no idea how happy they make me!!! :D Oh, and if you haven't noticed...soome of the characters will be a little OCC...just FYI!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight, I do own this idea, but not any of the characters.....doesn't that suck?**

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BPOV

The day passed by quickly after that. The boring routine merged everything together, and I just ghosted through it all. I managed to push the thoughts of the "circus" out of my mind and actually concentrate on more important things…until Jessica yelled "We're here!" Then…it was kind of inevitable to think about it.

The tent was located on the outskirts of Forks, in one of the few patches of clearance in the heavy wood. It wasn't so far out that it made me uncomfortable to be here, but…why not set it up closer to town? Other circuses usually set up in a football stadium or something…why set up in the forest?

The tent did not sport the traditional white and red striped fabric you see in the movies. The colors always made the place seem more fun and bright. Yet, no, this one was a dark indigo and a dark green. Those two colors side by side, aided by a collection of green lights at the base of it, made the place seem like it jumped out of a Halloween catalogue.

And then the very size of this tent was overpowering. The fabric was towering high above our heads. It had to be more than three stories tall; the peak almost overshot the canopy of the forest! And, to further prove that this was on the complete opposite side of a children's circus, with the night being as thick as it was, and with the weather suddenly producing a light fog across the ground tonight…it was eerie. It was dark. It was…massively creepy.

I saw Jessica shiver slightly after seeing it. So I wasn't the only one who thought so.

I parked behind a dented SUV along the side of the road (the closets parking space to the entrance). I watched as a pack of rowdy guys made their way excitedly to the entrance and sighed before turning to Jessica. She was still staring at the tent with awe, excitement, and slight apprehension on her face.

"You sure, you want to do this?" I asked her, silently hoping she'll say no and then we get to leave. I didn't like the way this place looked. I watched as she swallowed quickly and nodded, opening her door without looking away from the monstrous tent. I sighed, and opened my own door.

Only Jessica would be so determined to finish what she started, even if she was scared stiff. That's something I learned about her during her "dark period". She was always scared to do the drugs, she was always scared to drink the drinks they gave her, scared to break into stores for them, but she did it anyway. Sometimes it was an admirable quality, but…sometimes a little self-preservation needed.

She quickly came up to my side, linking her arm through mine, began to pull me to the entrance. Outsiders would think that it was me who was the more apprehensive in this scenario, but the simple fact that she took the time to link her arm through mine instead of just grabbing my hand or elbow proved otherwise.

I allowed her to pull me up to the entrance where there were two women standing. The one of the left side of the gate was holding a box with _$8.50 _written on the front of it. From what I could see in the green light, she had shoulder length hair that was supposed to be light, but it just looked dark green. Her eyes were bright with excitement, and even in the light I could tell that they were beautiful. She had a small smile on her face, not showing any teeth, and nodded to us as Jessica dug through her wallet for enough money for both of us.

The girl on the other side of her was short. She was maybe a foot or so shorter than I was, and I was an average five foot six inches. She had short dark hair that was set in sharp spikes around her head. Her eyes were just as bright as the other woman's, if not more. She was positively beaming, the light turning her teeth a green color.

She caught my eye and smiled wider. She took a step forward, closer to us, but blocking the entrance. Jessica had finished paying by now, so…this little person who was basically bouncing in her spot was the only thing keeping us from going in. I was about to open my mouth and ask her if we could pass, but she held up her hand.

"May I tell your future?" she asked in a soprano voice. I rolled my eyes. What's a circus without a fortune teller? Jessica sighed in awe and nodded her head excitedly. The girl smiled and turned to Jess. Her bright eyes glazed over for a second before she sighed and looked at Jess.

"Don't chase after him. It can only lead to heartbreak." was all she said. It was an easy thing to say to a teenage girl, most were chasing guys, so…it was a safe card. Jess was chasing after Mike Newton-why she wanted the pervert, I will never know-and it was well known that he only saw her as a quick hookup. But she never got that through her head of hair. Yet, I could say that about half the girls in Forks.

Jessica sighed in defeat; I squeezed her arm in comfort, before the girl turned to me. She smiled quickly, her eyes not even glazing over.

"We'll be seeing a lot more of you." she said before stepping aside. I felt my face scrunch up in confusion, as Jess began pulling me passed her. As we passed, I leaned over to Jessica.

"Didn't you say it was one night only?" I whispered in her ear. She nodded. "Then how would they see me more?" I asked, more to myself than Jessica. She shrugged. It didn't make sense. I didn't want to be here in the first place, why would I come back? Especially if it was only for one night?

"Enjoy the show, Bella!" I heard that soprano voice call from behind me. I froze, and felt Jessica freeze beside me. I looked back at the girl in shock. How did she know my name?! The girl just smiled secretively before waving and turning her back on us. I locked my eyes with Jessica's, whose eyes were wide with shock and I saw that fear there again. I shook my head, and tightened my hold on her arm in comfort, before continuing our way toward the bleachers that were set up. If her knowing my name was anything I should worry about, I would know it.

I smiled reassuringly to Jessica, knowing that we couldn't leave now that we had paid and there was no notice of a refund, so…she smiled timidly back at me, and we found seat in the middle of the bleachers. I was surprised with how…clean this place was. The schools bleachers were covered with gum and various unrecognizable items, while these were shiny and looked brand new.

"There are so many people here." Jessica mumbled as she scooted closer to me to avoid sitting too close to a man wearing a grease stained shirt. Yes, I had noticed that too. For a circus, there was an abundance of people here. This added to my list of reasons why this wasn't a normal circus. But I pushed the list aside, and squeezed Jess' arm again.

After her "dark period" Jess really became more wary of crowds. She felt that if she were there for too long, someone would approach her and attempt to sway her from her life again. She was scared of repeating her past, and crowds were a big part of that. She'll put up a façade, a fake smile, false flirtation, and no one would know it unless you were really close to her. Yet, right now, shrinking into my side like she wanted to disappear into me, she's really regretting the decision of coming here. My eyes swept the place, looking for a way out.

There! On the right side of the bleachers was an Exit sign, glowing red. I turned to Jess to point it out to her…when all of the lights went out. There was a few seconds of complete darkness, enough time for people (including Jess) to begin to fidget in their seats.

Then a single spotlight appeared in the middle of the floor, illuminating a single man in a sharp tuxedo, fog swirling around his feet.

Let the show begin.

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**A/N: Chapter 2!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!! The fun stuff is coming up next chapter!!!! Remember: Reviews=Happy me, Happy me=quicker updates, quicker updates=happy readers, happy readers=reviews….DON'T BREAK THE CIRCLE OF LIFE!!!!!!!**


	3. The Seductress and The Strong Man

**A/N: CHAPTER THREE!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!**

**Disclaimer: dancingwithEdward does not own Twilight, but I do own their circus contracts so….they bend to my will. It's close enough. ;)**

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My first thought upon seeing him was of how handsome he was. He had sleek blonde hair that shone under the bright light. His skin was pale beyond belief, and his eyes were a liquid gold color. He was wearing a pitch black tuxedo with a red tie, with a small smile on his face.

"Welcome," his voice called, velvet. It fluidly cut through the air and resounded around the tent. "to the Cullen Circus." he was met with an explosive applause from all around me, even Jessica was quickly clapping her hands. He smiled patiently before holding up his hand for silence.

"My family and I-" So it was a family circus. Hmmm. "-are happy that you all were generous enough to spend your evening with us. We are of a unique sort, sporting talents and gifts that you will all find skeptical." His eyes roamed the crowd as he spoke, landing on me as he finished his sentence.

"Yet, we must warn you," his eyes broke away from mine, and his face was covered with a grave and serious mask. " whether or not you believe what you see, some of the things you witness may not be for the faint hearted. If you feel you may not be able to handle such things, feel free to exit now." he pointed to the Exit sign. I looked at Jess out of the corner of my eye, and saw her looking at the sign. She stared at it for a moment, before sighing and shaking her head. She then refocused her attention on the handsome man in the center.

No one moved. No one spoke. The man smiled widely and nodded his head, lowering his arm.

" Very well then."….and then he was gone. I felt the bleachers vibrate as people jumped when they took in the picture. One second the handsome man was in front of us, smiling enthusiastically, and the next….he was no where to be seen. There was even a smoke screen or anything to conceal him.

But it could just be a trick of the light. He doesn't have to pull the corny amateur magician moves to fool us. Yeah, a trick of the light or a good mirror illusion would make it seem as if he had disappeared.

After those thoughts, I was calm and sure that that was all there was to his trick, but Jessica was excitedly looking around, trying to locate where he could've gone.

" May I introduce…" his voice rang out, seemingly disembodied, from all around us. "my lovely daughter…Rosalie." As he spoke, a curtain was moved out of the way to reveal a woman.

She had long flowing blonde hair, the same topaz eyes as her father, and a body to die for. It didn't help that it looked like she was only dressed in a short, thigh length blood red trench coat with black stilettos. The coat hugged her curves, and with the first two buttons undone, you could see a fair bit of cleavage, but enough to leave for the imagination. Yes, her sheer beauty was enough to join a circus, if she had walked down the streets of Port Angeles like that…she wouldn't last long.

I almost heard every guys (and a few girls') jaws drop and their breath escape them as Rosalie smiled seductively and began to walk forward. Her walk was slow and sensual, but commanding all the same. She wanted attention. And she was calling for more.

As one man in the audience had the audacity to wolf whistle towards her, I knew she'd gotten her wish. Her face turn toward the whistle, and she smiled. I felt people jump again as she disappeared. Another trick of the light? No, I could a streak of blonde hair as she moved from the center of the ring, to standing right in front of the man, who was sitting at the top of the bleachers. Well, if it was a trick of the light, it had to be some pretty complicated lighting instruments.

The guy she'd moved to looked like a fish, his mouth gaping open and his eyes wide, as he took in her form. She was smiling at him, sitting a few feet beside him.

" You like what you see?" her voice rang out like bells. His mouth opened and closed, before he turned his face away from her and nodded. She smiled, though he couldn't see that, and brought her leg up in front of him, forcing him to turn his head with her stiletto clad foot. His eyes roamed up her bare leg (her coat pulled up dangerously high) and then up the rest of her body.

" I'll make a deal with you." she said, lowering her leg, and moving to straddle his lap. She moved closer to him, as if she were going to whisper in his ear, but we all heard what she was saying. " You see, I like my men strong. Someone who can hold me in the tightest of embrace." The poor guy looked as if he were having trouble breathing. "So, let's play a little game." It already looked like she was playing a game.

Then she was back in the ring, straightening out her coat. She kept her eyes locked with him as she spoke, now running her fingers through her hair. " I'll set up three levels, each one heavier than the one before. You beat level one, I'll give you a kiss on the cheek. You beat level two, and I'll give you a kiss for a full five seconds." I could hear guys groaning quietly at the thought. She smiled widely, looking like an evil vixen, her eyes flashing brightly.

" And if you beat level three…." her fingers moved through her hair…down her face…to her throat…between her breasts….and on to her hips. "You can have me for the rest of the night." she whispered, as every man in the audience groaned in satisfaction. She let the offer sit for a second. " So, what do you say?" Everyone turned to the guy, who still looked like a fish out of water, and people cheered as he nodded his head. He struggled to get up, which made Jessica laugh, but he did, and eventually made his way down to the ring.

Rosalie smiled at him, before motioning him to the left side of the ring. I hadn't noticed that large black boxes had been moved there while she was talking to him. There were three, each on bigger than the other.

Rosalie moved to the first and smallest and, looking like Vanna White, she removed the box and revealed a weight bench. The guy laughed and moved toward it.

" Yes, this shouldn't be too hard for you." Rosalie said, moving to a position as if she were going to spot him. I saw his breath catch for a moment, before he swallowed and nodded. Rosalie looked at the audience. " It's only two hundred and fifty pounds. Not hard at all." she explained to us.

The man gripped the bar and slowly, but not too slowly, lifted the hundred and fifty pound weight, straightening his arms completely, before slowly lowering the weight back onto the bar. Rosalie smiled, and kneeled down to his level, and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. Then she became a blur again, and reappeared on the opposite side of the second box. She made a show of removing the box, to reveal a refrigerator that had, what looked like, hand holders on the sides. . She opened the door of it, to show that it was crammed with food.

" This refrigerator weighs about four hundred and seventy five pounds." she explained, as a rather muscled man appeared with cables. He wrapped the cables around the door, to keep it from opening, tying them securely, before heading out of the ring. The challenged man, sized the fridge up, before taking a deep breath and heading towards it. He took another deep breath, before taking hold of the handles, and lifting.

His face turned beat red, and sweat broke out across his forehead. His legs shook with the weight and struggle, but…sure enough, the fridge lifted a centimeter or two off the ground. He then dropped it, doubling over, and breathing heavily. The crowd applauded in shock…even I did. That had to have hurt him to do that.

Rosalie let out a peal of laughter, before going over to him. She pulled him up to his full height and crushed her lips against his, throwing her leg over his hip. Five seconds went by really fast after that, and she pulled away, and went to the third box. The man was left speechless, licking his lips. While Rosalie, when her back was to him, wiped her hand across her mouth. Guess she didn't like it as much as he did.

Before she revealed the next level, she turned to the man, who was just now getting his color back. " You do have health insurance, right?" His eyes widened and he nodded slowly. She smiled. " Good! Because the Cullen Circus isn't responsible for any injuries that manifest during a voluntary act." and with that, she pulled the box off.

Only to reveal a shiny silver car.

She can't expect him to lift a CAR! He had trouble with a refrigerator! He can't lift a car! She smiled at his wide eyes and ran a hand down the hood of the car.

" My brother was so kind as to let us use his Volvo." I wonder if I was the only one who heard the sarcasm in her voice. " This beauty weighs about three thousand three hundred pounds." she said, before sitting on the hood, crossing her legs. " You wanna back out?" she asked him, raising one sculpted eyebrow. He looked from her to the car again and again before nodding and stepping away from her.

Smart man.

Rosalie sighed, and leaned back on the hood. " Too bad. You look like you would've been fun!" The man sighed and began to walk back up to his seat. So that was it? That was the end of her act?

" I'LL DO IT ROSIE!!!" came a voice from out of the ring. Suddenly the man who had put the cables on the fridge ran into the ring, his footsteps causing vibrations throughout the tent. Rosalie sat up, alert, and looked at him.

" No, Emmett, you're ruining my act." She hopped off of the car, her coat flying up a few inches. I saw Emmett's eyes widen, and he followed her as she moved to the center of the ring again.

" You can still do your act. And I can do mine, at the same time." he tried to reason with her. " Just reset the levels to fit my potential, and then…" he took a step closer to her, and wrapped his arm around her waist, and waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "…we'll see how it goes." Rosalie looked at him for a moment before looking at us.

" Would you guys like that? Seeing the strongest man I know try my game?" she asked us. She was met with another enthusiastic applause. Jess was basically jumping up and down in her seat as she clapped. I didn't though. The way they were speaking about it. The way it was all timed so perfectly. Something told me that this was all planned. The way she was looking at him, not at all uncomfortable with his arm around her waist…they were used to this little game of hers.

Rosalie sighed and stepped away. " Fine." and then they both walked slowly back to the other side. When they arrived, I saw two NEW boxes, the car still sitting there. How had they had time to get that out there without anyone noticing? " Same rules apply" Rosalie said, before sitting on top of the car again. Emmett smiled before sticking a hand under the car, and lifting up.

One side of the car went up, and Rosalie almost fell off, but Emmett flashed under the lifted side, and braced the car with both hands, before lifting it above his head almost effortlessly. He balanced it perfectly to where Rosalie was sitting there comfortably, clapping.

The audience burst into a shocked applause, even I clapped. Rosalie smiled before carefully jumping off of the car, landing gracefully on the floor. She moved and kissed Emmett's cheek. He smiled goofily before tossing the car out of the ring. I cringed as it landed upside down and crashed.

" Eddie's not going to be too happy about that." Emmett said, smiling at the audience. I laughed along with everyone else. Rosalie's laugh reverberated around the tent before she lifted the box off of the second item, revealing two grand pianos.

" It's not as heavy as the first, but he'll have to balance them both. Together they weigh one thousand five hundred and twenty pounds." Rosalie explained. Emmett smiled and rushed over to her. He quickly lifted a piano and flipped it upside down on top of the other one. We all watched in awe as he crawled under the lower piano and lifted it easily, his muscles working fluidly to lift the instruments. People began to clap, but stopped when they saw Rosalie shaking her head.

She moved over to him, and deftly climbed onto the pianos, wiggling around, trying to make him lose balance. But Emmett, held strong, smirking as she leaned her weight every which way. We began clapping again, as she sighed and jumped off. She ducked under the pianos and kissed him full on the lips for five seconds, this one seeming more intense than the last one. After, they smiled at each other, and he, again, tossed them. The two beautiful grand pianos landed on top of the destroyed car, shattering on impact.

I swear I heard something that sounded like a wild animal when they broke.

Emmett and Rosalie started laughing as they moved to the third and largest box. Emmett turned to us and smiled widely.

" I don't think Eddie's going to like that either." he motioned to the destroyed pianos. We laughed again. Rosalie revealed the last item, and Emmett collapsed in laughter. It was another car, but this one was bigger and seemed more expensive than the Volvo. Rosalie smirked and leaned against it.

" His lovely Aston Martin Vanquish…four thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds." she said, before opening the drives door and sliding in. Whoever this "Eddie" person is…he's going to be pissed. I thought, as Emmett repeated the stunt he had used on the Volvo. Everyone gave them a standing ovation as he lifted the car high above his head. He smiled and Rosalie opened the door to get out.

But he tossed the car BEFORE she'd gotten out. I gasped, realizing how extremely dangerous that was, she could get KILLED!

But, right as he threw it, she jumped out of the seat, did a neat little back flip, and landed in his arms. Then, before any of us got over our shock, she grabbed his face and crashed her lips against his. He pulled away and smirked, as she peppered kisses on his face.

" Enjoy the show guys." he said, before she reclaimed his lips, and they stumbled out of the ring. Everyone was laughing at this. That was really good, even if it was all fake.

Just as everyone's laughter began to die down, the lights went out again.

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**A/N: Hahahaha, don't you just love Emmett and Rosalie? Reviews are loved! :D**


	4. Confessions and Thoughts

**A/N: OMG!!! I got so many reviews!!!! I decided to push another chapter out for you guys!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!! Enjoy! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight whatsoever!!!!!!!! But I do own their creepily epic tent! ;)**

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The dark was filled with energy as peoples laughter died down, anticipation charging the air. All were trying to find out what could possibly come next after the beautiful Rosalie and the strong Emmett. Even I was wondering what new and extremely well thought out trick this family could come up with. Would be another trick of the light? Would it be lifting things on strings (as I knew was what happened with Emmett)? Or would it be some new tactic that even I haven't thought of yet?

"Now," came the disembodied voice of the first man, "may I have the pleasure of introducing my son…Jasper."

The lights came up again, slowly and dimly, revealing yet another handsome blonde man. He was standing in a relaxed stance wearing faded blue jeans and a nice flannel button up. His hair was longer than the first mans, and it was hanging freely instead of being slicked back. Yet, as the sleek and distinguished look fit the first man, this laid back posture fit this one just as well.

He smiled at us, his golden eyes scanning the audience quickly. He was silent until his eyes landed on Jessica. Then his smiled widened, and he nodded his head toward her.

"I'll need a volunteer." he said, a southern twang slipping through. Jessica stiffened, getting the hint, and she squeezed my arm quickly before she nodded back and stood up slowly. I smiled a small encouraging smile as she slowly picked her way to the stairs and made her way down the bleachers. Truthfully, I was kind of worried for my friend. After seeing how Rosalie had warned her volunteer about health insurance…Please don't hurt her. I begged silently, knowing that he wouldn't hear.

There was a quiet, hesitant, and anxious applause as she made her way to the center of the ring. Jasper smiled kindly to her

"What's your name?" he asked her sticking his hand out for her.

"Jessica." she answered, grabbing his hand. He smiled and slowly bent and gently brushed his lips against her knuckles. I watched as she blushed and giggled a little.

"I'm happy you've decided to help me out." he said, before standing up straight and turning to us. "There are aspects of the human body that we feel cannot be changed unless the person himself-" his eyes flashed to Jessica, "-or herself- wishes to change it. Things that cannot be revealed unless the person herself wishes to reveal them. That is what I, and my brother, Edward, are here to disprove." He smiled briefly. "Emotions for example."

He turned to Jessica and smiled. " Jessica, how are you feeling right now?" he asked her. The causality of his question was thrown off by the fact that he had begun circling her quietly. A hawk circling its prey.

Jessica swallowed before laughing breathlessly. " Excited and, like, nervous." she said, her answers sound more like questions. Jasper laughed, and nodded.

" That's sort of understandable." As he spoke the word "understandable", Jessica's face began to fall, her eyes began to widen and fill, her entire form began to shake. I straightened up in my seat, alarmed, as she suddenly fell to her knees, tears streaking her face. She buried her face in her hands and started sobbing uncontrollably. My breathing quickened.

Jessica crying was one of the many experiences I hadn't hoped to relive. During and after her "dark period", Jessica spent a lot of nights in my room, crying about how stupid she was and how horrible everything was going and…seeing my strong friend so vulnerable was something I hadn't wished to see once, and never wished to see again.

And here she was before me…crying her eyes out because of something this man-Jasper-had done. I felt a rush of anger coursed through veins at the thought of this guy hurting my friend! Yet, before I could even come close to getting out of my seat and showing this guy a piece of my mind…something strange happened.

Jasper smiled sweetly at her, then Jessica jumped up on her feet and began bouncing in place.

" Oh my god, I love this circus, it's like so weird and like amazing and like COOL!" she was speaking at a speed I knew she only used when she was really hyper and in a really good mood. But…she was sobbing her eyes out just a second ago. "My friend Bella, yeah she's right there-" she gestured over to me, causing me to blush crimson, " she doesn't really think it's that amazing, she thinks it's all fake."

Jasper raised his eyebrows, and suddenly Jessica's face turned red and she stomped her foot. " But why does she have to be such a prude like that?!" she yelled angrily.

WHAT?

"I mean, if I wanna have fun and go to like a circus, then she should just follow and be happy I'm even hanging out with her!!!!!" I felt a coolness spread through my veins as she said this. Wow…after everything we've been through….wow. Suddenly her face returned to its natural color and her face was covered with guilt and horror. " Oh no" I heard her whisper, before she turned and looked at me.

I quickly avoided her eyes, not wanting to see the truth in her eyes. I didn't want to see the guilt and the horror in her eyes that so clearly etched out the truth behind her words.

" Bella, I didn't mean it-" she began to whisper, making her way toward me, but she was cut off.

" I think you all have gotten quite a feel of Jasper's amazing talent." came a voice that wrapped around my ears like a silk comforter. I looked up and saw a man suddenly standing on the opposite side of Jessica. " How about a round of applause?" he suggested, clapping his hands himself.

But I didn't hear the applause begin around me. I couldn't focus on anything other than him. He was…gorgeous. If I thought the first three men were handsome, I must've been blind. This man, though the word itself seemed like so much of an understatement, had disheveled hair that was a copper color. He had bright liquid gold eyes, a face of a god, and… I blinked rapidly and moved my thoughts elsewhere.

Looking back at the center of the ring, I noticed that now it was just Jessica and the godlike man.

" My son…Edward." came the disembodied voice once again, sounding slightly flustered. Edward rolled his eyes quickly and looked at Jessica.

" Would you mind being my volunteer as well?" he asked politely. She hesitated, her eyes darting to me and back quickly before shrugging. Edward smiled crookedly, making my breath leave me and my heart jump. It should be illegal to be this handsome. He turned to us. " My gift is not as…noticeable as my brothers. While he can feel and manipulate emotions, my gift is even more invasive and less comfortable for the other person, though they would never know." He paused, allowing the anticipation in the room to grow before smiling.

" I can read every one of your minds."

A hush fell in the audience and I just stared at him, my heart rate speeding up with each second. He can read our minds? He can read _my_ mind? He's heard every thought that has passed through my head? He knows that I've been checking him out ever since he's appeared? He knows that I'm so incredibly hurt by Jessica's confession? Wait! He can hear what I just thought!

Edward suddenly laughed. Was he laughing at me? It's not funny knowing that someone is in your thoughts all the time.

" I know some are skeptic, which is what I'm here to fix. With the help of Jessica of course." he said, gesturing to her. She giggled and smiled widely, all guilt from earlier gone from her face. He turned away from her, and quickly gathered three objects from out of the ring. When he returned, he smiled and asked Jessica to hold them for him. She nodded enthusiastically.

" Here's what's going to happen." he began, addressing us. I'm going to put on a blind fold, put in ear plugs, and even turn my back on Jessica. Then she's going to type something on that laptop there, that's hooked up to a projector so you can all see what's on her mind, and I'll tell you what it says." he said. Seemed like a solid plan to me. He nodded once before quickly taking the blind fold from Jessica and tying it around his eyes tightly. Then he held out his hands for the ear plugs, which Jessica placed in it.

I couldn't help but notice that she allowed her fingers to linger on his palm for longer than was necessary. I felt a dark fire rush through me at seeing that and felt a strange surge of protectiveness over him. I shook my head, and blinked. What was wrong with me? I don't even know this guy, and I'm protective over him? How does that even happen?

I took a deep breath and forced myself to focus once again on the action in front of me. Edward was now blindfolded and ear plugged, his back to Jessica, and she was typing furiously on the keyboard. I looked up at the far end of the tent to see what she was typing.

HE'S SO HOT!!!!!! I rolled my eyes at that. Of course that's all she could think about.

" Jessica, I would much rather appreciate it if you could control your thoughts and keep them at a PG level, please. Though I'm flattered that you seem to think so…highly of me." Edward said, making us laugh quietly. Jessica blushed and quickly deleted what she had written and was typing again.

SORRY BELLA. She typed, not looking up at me. I sighed. I really didn't want to deal with this now in front of everyone.

"If you know that she hates attention so much, then why did you just force it on her?" Edward asked, a kind of venom leaking in his voice. I jumped. That was close to what I was thinking. Was he combining our thoughts?

CAN YOU REALLY READ MY MIND? She typed, and right after she finished, he laughed.

" How do you think I know what you're writing?" he asked in return. Jessica looked at the back of his head in shock. He suddenly whipped off his blind fold and took out his earplugs, and looked out at Jess. "Thank you Jessica." he said before turning to us. " How about we switch people? So that you all know that this isn't planned or anything…" his eyes scanned the audience, as Jessica began to climb the stairs.

I watched those liquid pools of gold take us in, until the moved and met my boring brown eyes. Just as Jessica moved to our row, and took her seat next to me, watching me with pleading eyes, Edward smiled and nodded toward me.

" How about you, Bella?"

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**A/N: YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell me what you think, even if you want to say "hey, I hate your story" TELL ME!!!!!!!! Reviews are loved, both good and bad! :D**


	5. Danger and Predictions

**A/N: Chapter 5!!!! Man, I am updating like the wind here!!!!!!!! hehehehehe**

**Disclaimer: I own the computer Edward uses in his act....but....not Edward, or Jasper, or Emmett, or Rosalie, or Carlisle, or Alice, or Esme, or Bella, or anyone or anything from Twilight....*sigh* **

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BPOV

I felt a wave of shock rush over me, as he asked for me to come down and allow him to read my mind. My mind!!!! What is this pick Jessica and Bella's friendship down to where it's so small it's almost nonexistent day? He just saw the trouble using Jessica as a volunteer caused, so why is he calling ME down?!?

Before I could come up with some sort of answer, I felt my feet moving under me. Blinking, I realized that I was already moving, gravitating toward this handsome god, before I had even consciously chosen to. What was wrong with me? I didn't want to go down there. Yet, as that thought registered in my mind, I stepped off of the stairs, and into the ring. I could feel everyone staring at me, as I walked to Edward, his golden eyes smiling at me kindly.

Yet, as I walked closer, his eyes went from smiling…to freezing. They went from being bright and encouraging…to dark and frightening. I felt my heart stutter as his eyes drastically changed into threatening orbs that continued to call me forward.

And yet, as I felt an inkling of danger crawl up my spine, I couldn't force myself to act on it. I couldn't force myself to believe that this man wanted to harm me, even as his eyes narrowed into a glare as I stopped beside him. I couldn't force myself to think anything but the fact that he was still gorgeous and godlike. And those thoughts alone pushed the self preservation instinct down and allowed my heart to calm down.

Edward glared at me, before turning his back and swiftly tying the blindfold over his eyes and plugging his ears. I took a deep breath and picked up the computer from where Jessica had placed it and thought.

What could I type? What could I say that wasn't the equivalent of Jessica's "He's so hot!"? I leaned over the computer, thinking when it came to me.

YOU CAN'T READ MY MIND. I typed quickly, looking at the back of his head for confirmation. If he could, then why wouldn't he just give me a suggestion of what to type when I was questioning it? There have been countless opportunities from the moment I unknowingly rose from my seat to where I am now, where he could've already proven me wrong. He would hear my skepticism and he would act on it.

But he didn't.

I KNOW YOU CAN'T READ MY MIND. I continued, not looking away from his disheveled hair. I heard the audience shift in their seats, waiting for Edward to suddenly divulge the workings of my mind. But, as the seconds wore on, they knew as I did.

It wasn't real. It was all a hoax and he had somehow fooled us all.

Suddenly, their was that sound again, the one I heard earlier that sounded like a wild animal, and Edward fluidly stood up, ripping the blindfold off his eyes and pulling out the ear plugs in one motion. He spun around and glared at me.

"What kind of demon are you?" he asked, spitting venom in his words. The fear of danger shot up my spine again as he took a menacing step toward me. His walk wasn't as fluid as it had been before, it was now more like stalking, an animal on the attack.

A laugh tinkled through the room, before Edward could take more than two steps.

"I like you, Bella." came the soprano voice I'd met earlier. I looked and saw her skipping passed Edward, making sure to wave at the audience as she came. "You finally showed my prude of a brother that he is not God's ultimate creation." she laughed again, and tackled me in a hug. I stiffened. Her body was freezing cold, even through her clothes, and her arms were rock hard. She laughed in my ear and pulled away, before turning to Edward.

"Doesn't be a sore loser, Eddie." she pushed on his shoulder, forcing him to turn around. "Go; kill Emmett and Rosalie for killing your four prized possessions" she said. Jasper suddenly appeared and lead Edward out of the ring. The girl giggled and looked at the audience.

"Hi! I'm Alice, and sadly, I'm the last act of the show." she reached back and pulled me forward. "But, first, let's give Bella a hand for showing Edward how it's done." The crowd was hesitant at applauding at first, before the clapping built up; soon I was blushing against a thunder of applause. Alice giggled, leaned up and gave me a kiss on the cheek, before gently pushing me back to the stairs. I blushed and ducked my head as I quickly made my way back to my seat-ignoring Jessica when she grabbed my arm.

I looked back out at the ring. Alice stood there for a moment, waiting for the crowd to quiet down a little.

"I know that now you are all skeptic about my families little show." she began, her pixie voice carrying easily around the tent. "So, you won't believe me when I say that I am a psychic." Sure enough, the crowd erupted in mumbles. Alice laughed. " I know, it's hard to believe, but I assure you I'll prove it."

She walked toward the bleachers, tapping her finger with her chin, her eyes glazed over for a moment, before she smiled. " Frank," she looked at a guy in the front row, " Your phone is going to go off. It's going to be your wife asking you if you want roast beef or chicken when you get home. In….five, four, three, two, one."

_And tell me, did the wind sweep you off your feet? Did you finally get the chance to dance along the light of day…_

The guy, Frank, jumped and quickly pulled out his phone. " H-Hey honey." he said, not taking his eyes off of Alice's triumphant face. " Umm…chicken's fine." he answered. Alice smiled at him and moved away, allowing him to speak to his wife in peace. Everyone's eyes followed her as she, again, began tapping her chin, her eyes glazing over again. She moved to the far side of the bleachers and smiled at a woman who seemed to be in her mid thirties.

"You're phone is going to ring. It's going to be your son, telling you that his girlfriend is pregnant." the woman's face visibly paled at Alice's words. Alice smiled reassuringly and reached up to pat the woman's hand. " She'll be a beautiful baby, and for supporting them, they'll name her after you."

_Goodnight my angel, now it's time to sleep, and dream how wonderful your life will be. _

The woman quickly pulled out her phone and answered it.

" Hello darling…" she listened, and then sighed, before nodding. "It's okay, darling….we'll talk about it when I get home." Alice smiled encouragingly before walking back to the center of the ring.

" You may think that everything that just happened was just a coincidence, or that everything you saw tonight was just a trick of the light or a pulley system." She looked directly at me, and laughed quietly. " Whether or not you believed what you saw…I can assure you that everything-" her eyes locked with mine, and it seemed as if she was now talking directly to me. "-isn't always as it seems." She was silent for a moment, her eyes seeming to hint toward me, something my mind couldn't comprehend.

Then she broke contact and smiled at the audience. " Thank you for coming out tonight, and on behalf of my family I wish you a safe and wonderful evening. Goodnight." Then it went dark, the only lights on were the red Exit signs.

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**A/N: Reviews are loved, and hey, if you have any questions about the story or any ideas you want to throw out at me...tell me!!!!!......(yeah, this is my secret way to force you to review ;D) But, seriously....REVIEW!!!!!!!**


	6. Aftereffects

**A/N: *sighs* Hey guys....last day of Spring Break....last day of fun and quick updates....*sighs again*....Okay, I'm over it now! :D HEY!!! Thank you guys SOOOOOO much for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites!!!! You honestly have no idea how much it means to me!!!! :D**

**Disclaimer: I, dancingwithEdward, do not and never will own anything from Twilight. **

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I plopped down on my bed, sighing as the cotton blankets meshed around my form. Comfort, security, and ease were something I truly needed in the moment. I quickly kicked off my shoes, and crawled under the comforter, sighing.

The ride home had been…awkward. Having to drive a full fifteen minutes next to a person who didn't even value my company was…dreadful. Jessica had tried to speak to me, tried to apologize, and tried to get me to understand what was going on.

__

"I was being CONTROLLED Bella!" she begged, turning toward me in the truck. "You don't know how it felt. One second I knew exactly how I was feeling, and the next I felt something completely and totally different, while in my mind…I knew what was happening!!!! Yet, even though I knew I didn't feel the way I was feeling and even though I knew exactly what was happening…I couldn't CHANGE it!!" She had tears streaking down her face by now. Sometime during her speech, she had grabbed onto my arm that was closest to her tightly.

"Please, Bella, you have to understand!" she begged.

_I didn't risk looking away from the road, while I sighed. "He manipulated your emotions, Jessica…not your thoughts, not your mouth, and not the filter in between the two that seems to have malfunctioned." I felt her hands loosen their grip on my arm, as I spoke. I peeked at her face through the corner of my eye, and saw that her mouth was ajar, and nothing but shock and hurt was on her face. _

_It may have been cruel, I thought as I pulled my arm away from her and gripped the wheel again, but it had to be said. If she gets to say what was on her mind, than so do I. She slowly turned in her seat, looking straight ahead now, and was silent the entire ride to her house. _

_Yet, every now and again, I would hear her sniffle, hear her breathing catch for a moment before letting out a ragged sigh. _

_Once Jessica was out of the truck and slowly walking toward her house, I felt as if a weight was suddenly dropped on my chest. God, what kind of monster was I? My friend had been begging for my forgiveness, and I was too stubborn, too prideful, and much too hurt to even spare her a second glance! She had been crying, silently sobbing, in the seat next to me, and I didn't even flinch!!!!_

_What kind of demonic being was I?_

_Just then, as I pulled off of Jessica's street, I felt a shock run up my spine. A tingle of self preservation and fear moving from the very tips of my toes up to the crown of my head. A pressure that built up in the back of my head…like someone was watching me. Very intently watching me. I shook my head, and focused on the road in front of me. No one was watching me; it's just that creepy god awful circus that's gotten my nerves all jumbled up and running haywire. That psychic and her cryptic predictions, that seductress and her games, the strong man and his muscles, the empath and his manipulation, and the mind reader and…his beautiful glaringly hateful eyes. _

_Those that glared a hole into my very soul as he asked me what kind of demon I was. _

_The very same question I was now wondering myself. The very same questions I had been asking myself when the feeling of being watched overtook me. That very feeling that coursed through my veins as he took an animalistic step toward me, as if hunting. It was all the same. _

Even now, in the comfort of my room, buried deep within the confines of my blankets, I couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.

I knew it wasn't real, just an aftereffect of the illusions brought up in the circus, but that didn't make the feeling go away. That didn't stop my mind from coming up with visions of those glorious ocher eyes narrowing and burning liquid fire into my own eyes. That didn't stop my eyes from scanning the dark room, looking for any sign of intrusion. And that didn't stop my imagination and my images of his god like form from…somewhat hoping that there would be signs.

I groaned and pulled my blankets tighter to me.

This was all just ridiculous! I am exposed to a night of technical and physical tricks that were created to confuse and scare the human imagination, and knowing that, I've allowed it to achieve its goal! Not anymore. Not when I was safe in my bed, in my house, with the doors locked, with the clocks ticking by the seconds before I had to face reality again.

After this little detour, my routine will start again. And I won't be swaying from it anymore. In my mind the conclusion was strong, but that feeling stayed steadfast as me eyes drifted to a close and darkness washed over me.

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**A/N: I know it's short, but still.....TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!!!!! :D **


	7. Rustles

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**A/N: I went from being the queen of updating-updating everyday, sometimes twice a day-and now...since school has decided to interfere with my life ONCE again.....*sigh* but I'm here now...doing what I usually do with Amethyst Moon and UPDATING DURING SCHOOL!!!!!!!! :D Yeah, I'm a rebel I know ;) Anyway, without further to do......**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Twilight, no matter how much I hope and pray....:'(**

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BPOV

_Fog swirled around my feet as I took in my surroundings. Vaguely, I knew that this was a dream, figment of my imagination engulfing my mind in its vulnerable state. But regardless of that, I was in a forest. Tall trees stood over my head, their branches intertwining in a way where it seemed as if they were all connected, like puzzel pieces. The mass of branches and leaves blocked out any view of the sky, I couldn't tell whether it was dawn or dusk or something in between. The way the trees manipulated the lighting where I was, their shadows alongating meancingly, my intiuition told me that it had to be sometime at night. _

_But, why I was in the forest-dream or no-in the middle of night, was beyond me. I looked around, hoping to see the trail that lead to my house, hoping for some noticeable way out, but...there was none. Only tree after tree after tree, all around me, all blocking my way home, all towering above me, looking down on me, laughing at me because they knew they were scaring me. _

_A rustle sounded behind me. _

_I whirled around, my hair whipping around my face, and stared toward where the sound had come from. Darkness. There was nothing but darkness and trees. There was nothing there, I tried to convince myself. Nothing but those mocking trees that have decided to hold me captive. I forced myself to take a deep calming breath._

_This was only a dream, the trees aren't real, they aren't laughing at me or holding me captive. They're just a figment of my imagination. I repeated my mantra until I was breathing normally and thinking straight again. I knew there was no way I could wake myself up, so I slowly sat down on the ground and decided to wait the dream out. _

_So I sat there, staring at the trees who were staring back at me, listening to the silence. I hadn't realized until that one rustle, that there was no sound hear. There was no wind, no animals, I couldn't even hear myself breathe. It was just silence. Just me, the trees, and the silence. _

_There was another rustle coming from behind me. It sounded like someone running across the leaves that infested the ground. It abruptly stopped, and I felt a pressure on the back of my head...that same pressure I was sure I had felt as I fell asleep. That same galring force that was burning hole into the back of my skull. That same shock of fear running up my spine, engulfed my body. I felt my breath catch as I slowly turned my head to look behind me. To prove to myself that this was once again a figment of my imagination and that no one was glaring at me. _

_My heart stopped. _

_There, standing before me, his tall form standing high above my sitting position, was him. The god who had glared at me at that circus. The man who was so enticingly beautiful that even under the force of his balck glare, I couldn't look away. I couldn't stop myself from revelling in his beauty. His alluring eyes were narrowed into slits, black as coals, contrasting with the color of his skin to the extreme. They were black fire, burning into my eyes. His mouth was in a tight line, not smiling, not smirking, not frowning. Just a line pressed by his lips. His hands were clenched into tight fists, as if he were about to get into a fight with something. And my instincts told me that that something would be harmed very much if he hit them. _

_He was glaring at me, his hands tightening as the seconds passed. I slowly stood up, never taking my eyes away from his. The second I was fully to my feet, he was directly in front me, his nostrils flaring angrily. _

_" What kind of demon are you?" he hissed at me, his breath washing into my face._

_Thump! _

My eyes flew open in shock, as the sound reverberated through my room. I blinked, allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness, before sitting up. I looked around my room for anything that could've made the noise that had woken me up, but everything was just the way I had left it. Only...My eyes zoomed in on the rocking chair I had kept in my corner. I never sat in it, it only served as a decoration now.

But it was moving, as if someone had just gotten out of it.

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**A/N: *ominous music plays* Ooooo, what's gonna happen next? The only way to find out is to review!!! They are very loved!!! :D **


	8. Paranoia

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A/N: I'm back!!!!! With the longest chapter YET!!!!! YEAH!!!!!!!!! :D Thank you all for your reviews and alerts and favorites and all that! You have no idea how happy they make me!

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!

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BPOV

I stared at the rocking chair, which was still slightly moving, and blinked. I was almost positive that no one had entered my room while I was asleep. And if anyone had come in…why would they sit in the chair? The chair was facing straight at my bed, so if someone had been sitting in it, then they would automatically be looking at ME as I slept.

I shuddered at the thought and shook my head. No one had been in the rocking chair. Besides, if they had, where would they be now? The floor creaks on the stairs, and that would wake both Charlie and me. And…my eyes drifted to the closet. The most cliché place to hide.

I rolled my eyes as I got out of bed and made my way to the closet. Why I was even bothering looking was beyond me, but…it was the middle of the night and all logic and reason against fear disappears around this time. I placed my hand on the handle of the door, and couldn't stop myself from holding my breath as I jerked the door open and hurriedly flipped the light on.

The rack of clothes was all greeted me in the light. I chuckled breathlessly. Of course there was no one here, Bella. God, you're acting so stupid!

__

Rustle

I jumped and whirled around, my hand covering my mouth to muffle a cry of surprise. The rustle had sounded just as it had in my dream, like someone running across leaves. I looked for the source of the sound, my eyes zeroing in on the window.

The window, that hadn't been opened the entire time I had been in Forks, was wide open. I attempted to keep my breathing under control, as I slowly made my way over to the window. This could be anything, I thought, trying to convince myself that it was just wind blowing through the trees or something.

Wind doesn't sound like that, part of me whispered. I placed my hand on the windowsill, and looked out, trying to find something to explain the sound. It was a still night. No wind. It was a dark night. No stars and the moon was covered with clouds. I wrapped one arm around my stomach. This was becoming too much like a scary movie. I pulled the window down, made sure to lock it, and then hurriedly crawled back into my bed.

Everything is okay, I repeated to myself, pulling the covers around me tightly. No one was here. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed for tomorrow to come quickly.

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Tomorrow didn't come soon enough. Though my eyes remained closed the rest of the night, by the time my alarm sounded, I had in no way gained any peace of mind or sleep. I refused to allow my eyes to wander toward the chair, as I moved about my room, getting ready for the day. The chair was a significant reminder of my night, a reminder of the sheer fact that it seemed as if someone had been sitting in it, staring at me as I slept. A reminder that I had believed that someone had been there.

I growled at myself and forced my hair into a ponytail. Ever since that stupid circus, my mind has been completely out of order. Crazy dreams, paranoia, the feeling-that I felt even now-that someone was watching me. These are things that don't happen to me, that I don't feel, that only show in either really bad dramas or…really good horrors. Nothing that actually happens in reality.

I grabbed my bag and carefully ran out the door, and to my truck. The least time I spend outside, the more relaxed my sudden paranoia will be.

Okay, this has got to stop, I thought as I started the truck. The sun was up, school started in fifteen minutes, and no one was watching me. There was no reason to be paranoid; there was no reason to even _remember_ last night. The circus was over, the circus was leaving, and I never had to think about it again. I never had to remember the fortune telling pixie, the woman that would make Aphrodite herself put a paper bag over her head, the buff man cracking jokes, the southern manipulator, and the glaring god who couldn't read my mind.

I don't have to remember them…so I won't. As of now, I will not think of them, I would not think of the circus, I would not feel paranoid, I will not allow things to spiral out of control the way it had. I would return to reality, and I would stay there.

I pulled into the school parking lot, feeling a little better now that my mind was clear. I still had five minutes until the bell rang, and the parking lot was swarming with students. As per routine, Mike Newton was waiting for me by my parking space. Everyday he waited for me, opened my door, took my bag from me, tried to be all gentlemanly, and then he asks me out to either go to the movies or head to his house because his "parents aren't home". He just doesn't get that I do not like him.

He opened my door with a cheesy smile on his boyish face.

"Hey Bella." he greeted me, grabbing my bag from my hands. I forced a smile on my face and got out of the cab. "You look like you need some sleep." he said with a chuckled. I could see in his face that not only did he generally find this funny, but he was slowly working out a perverted comment to accompany that.

"You know-" here it comes "-I know something that could possible wear you out so much-"

"You're not my type!" I hissed at him, snatching my bag from his hands and storming away from him. Again, this was the routine, but you'd think that after the first few times, he'd get the hint. He's not my type!!! As in, I do not like him! Why does he continue to come after me? Besides, you don't tell a girl that she looks like she needs sleep! That sounds like you're telling them that they look unhealthy and sluggish! Yeah, not the thing you want a girl to think!

Oddly enough, as I went through my inner rant, I found myself smiling softly to myself. Reality wasn't such a hard thing to get back into, it seemed.

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"Leave me alone, Jessica!!!"

Okay, so reality wasn't as easy to return to as I thought. Ever since first period (which I share with Jessica), she has been following me around, begging for forgiveness, calling attention to ourselves. She hasn't stopped! She's followed me to and from my classes, to the bathroom (how she knew I was going, I will never know), and she begged on her knees during lunch. This is where I snapped.

We were in the cafeteria; the roar of conversation hushed as all the students turned toward us. Jessica was on her knees, her hands gripping one of mine tightly, and tears streaming down her face. I was on my feet now, sick and tired of her by this point.

"Just leave me alone Jessica! Nothing you can say can change the fact that you hurt me! That you thought and felt and said the things you did! I'm sorry, but I don't want to be anywhere near you!" I attempted to try and yank my hand from her grip. How could she think that I would just forgive her after she called me out at the….last night? I refused to think of where we had been last night.

"Bella! It wasn't my fault!! I swear, I never think that about you…you are my very best friend, and without you, I wouldn't be who I am…and I wouldn't be where I am right now! And…you know it!!! You know that I…appreciate you and that I feel so…lucky… that I'm able to be your friend! Why would I say such things to you?" I could tell by the pauses that she took that she was really making it up as she went along. Her tears continued to stream down her face, her mascara running darkly down her face.

She just looked so pathetic, that only a cold heartless bitch could let her down.

….I was angry enough to be just that. "No, Jessica." I said as calmly as I could, and yanked my hand away from her. Startled, she fell forward, catching herself on her hands. She stayed there, crying loudly.

" It wasn't my fault…" she sobbed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "…I couldn't control it! It was that stupid circus that did it!"

" You made us go to that "stupid circus"! And like I said last night, he didn't manipulate your words!" and with that, I turned away from my ex-best friend, and made my way out of the cafeteria.

As I made my way through the rest of the day, I would hear my name whispered in the halls accompanied with "bitch" and "how could she?" and "heartless". No one could understand what happened between Jessica and me, but they were coming up with spectacular rumors.

In Biology I heard Mike telling people how, based off of his "girl on girl in the classroom" line yesterday, Jessica and I were lovers, but she cheated on me with a carnie. In Gym, I found Jessica talking to a huge group of people, more tears running down her face. Later, in the dressing room, Lauren Mallory came up to me and slapped me for hating Jessica because a hot guy "I" liked wanted Jessica.

Yeah…this was people came up with to explain our sudden fight.

But, I ignored it all. I struggled to keep a straight face, and it was hard to ignore them, but I did. I didn't flinch when Lauren slapped me, I didn't cringe whenever someone would call me a lesbian, and I didn't show any weakness. I knew that without Jessica I would be able to breathe again without worrying about whether or not she was okay. I knew that without her tying me down, I'd be able to do whatever I wanted. Without Jessica, I could be my own person again. Without her, I could have all the things I never knew I wanted, like freedom and space.

And if in order to get that, I have to become a social outcast at school, then so be it.

I felt people's eyes on me as I made my way to my truck at the end of the day. I stiffened as the feeling of them watching me sparked a nerve. No, Bella! You can NOT be paranoid about this! They are staring at you because they have nothing better to do with their lives!

I repeated this as I slowly drove home. I wouldn't let it get to me that the feeling that I was being watched didn't disappear as I left campus.

In an order to forget the hole that I thought was being burned into the back of my head, I went over a list of things needed to accomplish before Charlie came home. Dinner, homework, clean, check the amount of food money we had, make a grocery list…the list went on, and by the time I officially ran out of things to add to it, my heart had calmed down and my paranoia had ceased. Things were good now.

I pulled into my driveway, grabbed my bag, and headed for the door happy that I was feeling slightly normal now. I heard it as I pulled the key from under the eave.

__

Rustle

I whirled around as fast I as I could, holding the key out as if it could be a weapon, looking across the street for the source of the rustling this time.

All I saw was a flash of bronze dashing in the forest, so fast that I'm not really even sure I saw it. I turned back to the door, shakily put the key in the lock, and quickly went inside. I leaned against the door with a sigh, and slid down to the ground tiredly.

Over the passed twelve hours, I've been trying to force myself to return to reality, to forget about the circus and strange people in it, to forget about everything. I just wanted to come back to reality.

And I did.

The reality of it all was that the life I knew before all this was fake. Jessica was putting on a façade that said "hey, I really enjoy your friendship" when she really didn't. People at school seemed to be on my side, but a few words turn them all against me. And no matter how hard I try to ignore it, someone was watching me.

And whether or not I truly saw it…I had a feeling of who it might be.

But the question was...why?

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A/N: Okay, I feel like this chapter is crap. So, if you think so tell me and be sure to tell what you think I should do to make it better! :D Love you all!!!!!


	9. Eavesdropping

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**A/N: I'M BACK!!!! YAY!!!!!!!! :D I love you all so much for reviewing!!! Every single review makes me day a little brighter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not in any way own the amazingness that is Twilight.........:(**

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BPOV

My plan was simple. So overly simple that a child could have come up with it. Actually, it was a trick that even I had played as a child. I would lie in my bed, in a position that looked as if I were sleeping, but actually be wide awake. When the right time came, I would make my awareness known. That plan was so simple. So ridiculously simple, that I had actually laughed at myself for thinking it up. But...I knew that the next part would be the hardest.

Somehow, I had to persuade him to tell me WHY he had been following me. I had done nothing that I thought would provoke him to stalk me, but...maybe I had. But I won't know until I get him to tell me. And based off what I had learned last night, he didn't look like on eto back down easily. And based off of how quickly the flash of his figure disappeared...I'm should be more worried about him running than anything else.

I took deep calming breaths as I went through my night time routine. I had to go about things as usual, in case he were watching now. The slightest differentiation from routine could spark suspicion. I walked over to the window, and made sure it was locked as I ususally did. How was he able to get that quietly opened last night? I wondered, as I drew the curtains and headed for the bed. I slowly lowered onto the mattress, and pulled the covers up to my chin.

Was I really ready to find out the truth about why he was following me? Why he was in my room? Why he watched while I slept? How he got away so quickly?

Was I really ready? No, I knew I wasn't.

Yet, life tends to continue whether you were ready or not, so....I shut my eyes, curling my knees up to my chest and succumbed to waiting. In order to keep myself awake, I thought about everything that had happened today. I was free of Jessica, I was the social outcast of the school, I was waiting for this man from the circus to sneak into my room and prove me right...not really the most normal of days. It was like nothing that had ever happened to me before. It was against routine. It was against all things reasonable. It was against everything I could've ever imagined and in a way, it was terrifying.

It was odd. The day Jessica had come to me with that flyer, I had been wishing for something exciting to happen, for some break in the carefully built concrete routine that surrounded my life. I shuddered. Be careful what you wish for, Bella. You wanted exciting and you get a suspensful horror movie. I clutched the blanket tighter to me, and forced my thoughts to collect elsewhere.

I don't know how I long I laid there, forcing myself to stay awake. After while, though, my body began cramping up. It was painful, and hard for me to maintain my act as I rolled over, deftly stretching myself out and working the kinks out during the movement. Throughout the timeless night, I didn't here a single sound out of place. Charlie's snores still seeped through my walls, the rain still pattered against my room, the wind howled against the closed the window. Everything was as it should be.

Come on, Bella, I thought to myself. How could you seriously have thought any different? I was really just letting my imagination run havoc. I mean, nothing like this actually kinds of things only happen in movies or books, so...how could it happen in real life?

_Rustle._ I stiffened. No, it was just the leaves Bella. The wind is just blowing through the leaves, causing them to rustle. That's all it is. I allowed this thought to calm me down. My body loosened up, my ears were now more alert than before.

_Shuffle._ My heart sped up. It was just....somehing climbing up my wall...ummm....a rat. Yeah, a rat was climbing up my wall to get to the roof. That was all it was. My heart slowed a little, but continued to beat at a pace slightly faster than normal.

_Click._ My heart stopped. I couldn't even try to convince myself that it was something else. That sounded like the lock clicking open. How was he able to open my window from the outside? I forced myself to remain calm, forced my lungs to expand and contract, and forced my heart to start beating again. I knew that he would have to get in somehow, and so, I shouldn't be shocked that he actually did it.

_Sliiiiiide._ He slowly pushed the window up. I was surprised that the old window didn't make an exceedingly noticeable noise except for the muted slide. I heard something that sounded like wind blowing into my room, and then a muffled _thump_. He was in my room now. The man with the wild copper hair was in my room. The man who had the face of a god was in my room. The man who had so gorgeously glared at me was in my room. He was in my room.

I forced myself to stay calm as those thoughts rang through my mind. The last thing I needed was for my hormones to interferre with my plan. There was silence in the room. The only thing I could hear was the sound of my own heart beat, slowing gradually as the seconds passed. Once my heart seemed to return to normal, I heard quiet footsteps move about the room. I kept my breathing slow as they carefully made their way closer to me. I could feel his gaze on me as he came closer. Then the footsteps stopped, but I could sense his presence towering over me. He didn't move for a minute, before I felt an icy finger push some hair out of my face. A shock ran through the crown of my head as the feeling.

I couldn't stop myself from shuddering at the sensation, but I don't think he thought anything of it. He sighed as he broke contact, and I heard him take a step away from the bed.

" What is wrong with you?" he asked in whisper. What's wrong with me? I didn't think there was anything wrong with me. He's the one who just snuck into my room while I was "asleep"!

" I don't think it's her who has the problem." Came a tinkling voice, as wind breezed through the window and another muffled _thump_ filled my room. "You are the one who's been following her since she left us." That sounded like the psychic.

" Alice." Edward hissed curtly. " Why did you follow me?" he asked her viciously. Why were you following me? I asked him in my mind, knowing that he couldn't hear me.

" Because it's not safe for you to be alone with her, seeing as how much she appeals to you." Appeals to him? What did that mean and how did it contribute to my being safe? " You know it was idiotic of you to do it yesterday!" she continued, scolding him. There was a beat of silence before I heard him sigh and footsteps moved in the room. There was a silent creak as someone sat in the rocking chair, and then I heard him sigh again.

" Last night was a mistake." he said quietly before growling. " That demon's...that Sirens....that monsters scent lured me...called me to her." he sighed again. " It was so strong, Alice. You can't understand." There was silence again as I listened. My scent? " I almost killed her last night." I forced myself to remain motionless as that revelation came into the open. He almost killed me? Why would he even want to kill me? " In this room, where her smell is everywhere, where it all collected the air...I came so very close." he sounded as if he was confessing an embarrassing weakness.

" But you didn't." Alice said softly, sounding as if she were trying to console him.

" I almost did." he continued. " I was sitting here, trying to convince myself that killing her wouldn't do anything. Trying to convince myself that Carlisle, Esme, you, everyone would be disappointed if I did." he stopped for a moment. " I was so close though. So close, but...she sleep talks, you know?" He heard that? Why did he have to hear that embarrassing secret of mine? "First it was incoherent, but then, eventually she actually began forming words. She began talking about how hurt she was by that friend of hers." Oh. I vaguely remembered dreaming about Jessicas words last night. That level of emotional pain would transfer to my sleep talking.

" How could she be friends with someone like her?" Alice asked. " I even saw that they weren't right together."

Edward continued as if she hadn't spoken. " I heard the amount of pain in her voice, and I felt....so angry. I was so furious that someone could hurt her that way. Someone she trusted!" he sounded angry now. But, why was he angry? He didn't know me enough to feel sorry for me. " I didn't understand why I was angry. I didn't understand why my mind changed the vision of me killing her to me killing her friend in revenge. I didn't understand how this...demon child could bring such violent feelings out of me."

" I still don't understand." he finished with a sigh.

" You're not supposed to." Alice said, sounding smug. " I've seen her many times over the years (years, Edward!!!) and you never fully understand this situation until...well...I can't tell you. It'll ruin the surprise." She's seen me? For years? My mind went back to her words to me. _We'll be seeing a lot more of you._ Could she be telling the truth? There was a pregnant silence in the room, as both he and I took that in.

" Do you see me hurting her?" he asked her hesitantly.

" You know it's not solid...but at the time being, no. I do not see you hurting her." I heard him sigh in relief, and I felt my own body relax at that statement. "I've got to go, Jazzy's waiting for me." she laughed quietly, and I heard her light footsteps head back to the window. She paused. "Go easy on her, Edward." was all she said before the sound of wind came into my ears and I heard a soft _thump_ from outside.

I was puzzled over the conversation I had just heard. Why would my scent make him want to kill me? And what did she mean by "Go easy on her"? Did she know that I was eavesdropping? Did he know? I felt my heartbeat spped up at the thought of what this man who wanted to kill me would do if he knew that I had been listening. Suddenly, I heard the creak of the chair as he got up and his footsteps near the bed. My heart speed up even more. Did he know? What was he going to do? I felt a sweat break out as the fear engulfed me.

I felt his cold hand touch my forehead softly. " Shh, it's okay. It's just a dream." he murmured softly.

....

He was trying to comfort me? He was trying to sooth me? he thought I was having a nightmare, and he was trying to comfort me? I felt my heart stutter in shock, and the pressure of his hand increased.

" Shh, it's okay." There was no way he could know I was panicking. From the rocking chair, he wouldn't have been able to see the sweat on my forehead. And I hadn't moved a muscle since he came in. How could he know? My heart thumped unsteadly as a theory came into my mind. "Shh." he murmured again, stroking my hair. My theory was proven. He could _hear_ the beating of my heart. But, that's not possible. No one has that acute of hearing! No one can hear someone elses heart with just the naked ear, and especially not from across the room.

But...I was sure he had. It was all I had that could explain how he knew I was scared and panicking with my showing any external signs of it. He could hear the irregularness of my heart beats. It was all I had. He continued to stroke my hair, humming a soft tune, trying to sooth me. I focused on his icy hand flowing through my locks of hair, from my roots to the very tips, and allowed myself to be calmed.

His tune passed through my ears, it was a beautiful song. A lullaby, it sounded like. Before I knew it, I felt as if a fog was enclosing my mind. A nice, comfortable fog. But...No! I can't fall asleep! I still need to get my answers! I groaned, trying to sound groggy, as if I was waking up. I heard his breathing hitch and his hand started to move away....but I threw my hand upward, and clasped onto his wrist with all of my strength, before opening my eyes.

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**A/N: Eddies caught!!! :D Reviews are lovely, and if I get a lot....you may just find another chapter up sometime this weekend ;)**


	10. Twenty Questions?

**A/N: Reviews make me happy and spark my imagination. Hence this new chapter!!!!! All the reviews I got…Oh my goodness!!!!!!! Thank you guys so much!!!! :D (P.S: For some clarification….you have to remember my Edward **_**is**_** a carnie. He enjoys jokes and riddles and convoluted tricks, just as much as a clown would…he's not going to be exactly like the Edward SM created. Just warning you.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.**

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BPOV

My eyes took a moment to readjust to the lack of light in the room. During that moment, though, I could feel him try to yank his hand away from mine. Yet, I gripped his wrist as tightly as possible, and ended up being pulled off of the bed.

"Oof" I grunted as the floor and I met, once again. It took all of me to keep my hold on his wrist as I plummeted off of the bed. Surprisingly, though, while in my vulnerability he had stopped trying to break my grip. Why wasn't he trying to get away from me? I knew he could easily break my grip now, so…why wasn't he trying?

I blinked and struggled to get up without letting him go. It was actually quite hard, trying to get up without letting go or bringing him down with me. I heard him sigh, before chuckling quietly. Then I felt his free hand grasp my arm, and he pulled me up. Once I was on my feet again, he took a step back, breaking my grip easily now.

We stood there, staring at each other, appraising one another. His eyes were lighter than they were last night, I noticed. He wore a casual yet taunting crooked smile on his face that made my heart leap. Then I blushed as I remembered that he could possibly hear my heart beats.

He chuckled quietly, before gesturing to the bed. I slowly sat down, not breaking eye contact, and saw that he seemed satisfied that I was listening to him. How was he able to go about this so casually? He was just caught being in my room uninvited, and he was acting like it was nothing!

He smiled softly to me, before moving away from me. I opened my mouth to stop him, but he just walked to the opposite wall and leaned against it. Again, he was so casual about it.

No, I thought as a hush settled over the room. Looking at him now, seeing him from across the room, I saw just how rigid he was. His body was stiff, his hands clenched into fists like they had been when I dreamed of him. Looking closer, I could see that even his smile was forced. He's not as calm as he looked at first glance.

We stayed like that for a few minutes, waiting for the other to start. I waited for him to talk, to try and convince me that he had some justified reason for being here. But he just stood there, and as time went on, his eyebrows began to rise. He was waiting for me to begin, and was wondering if I ever would, it seemed. I took a deep breath, before squaring my shoulders and looking him in the eye.

"Why are you here?" I asked him, heading for the first question on my list. He smirked at me, and shrugged.

"I was curious." he said in the velvet tone I remembered so well. I had to suppress the shudder that wanted to crawl up my spine as the sound rang through my ears. No normal human could nor should have a voice that musical. I blinked and forced myself to move my thoughts to more pressing matters, rather than my hormones.

He was curious? Way to be vague.

" About what?" I asked him, hoping to get any kind of clarification.

" You." he answered with a laugh. I groaned, making him laugh again. He slid down the wall and made himself comfortable in an Indian position at the base of it, a smirk on his face. I glared at him.

" That would explain why you're in my room, wouldn't it?" I hissed at him.

" It would." I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself at his stubbornness. You need to get answers, Bella. No matter how stubborn he's being, you need to get your answers. I pulled up the list of questions I had and went to the next one.

" Have you been following me?" I asked him. I saw him stiffen slightly more before he relaxed.

" Maybe." My eyes narrowed, but I went straight to the next question anyway.

" Why would you follow me?" Of course, I already knew this answer….sort of. He did say it to his sister; I just didn't understand a word of it. Hmm, should I let him know that I was listening? That may get some more answers out of him.

" Curiosity." He answered, leaning forward slightly, and resting his head against his hand.

" Curiosity killed the cat, you know?" I pointed out, hoping that it would sway him to give me an actual answer. He smiled.

" Good thing I'm not a cat then." Smart ass. I inhaled deeply. Should I let him know? It'll probably make him angry, but…I'd probably get more answers.

" What did you mean, when you were talking to your sister?" I asked him, bracing myself for the wrath that I knew he could bestow onto me. I saw his eyes narrow slightly and his nostrils flare for a moment before he plastered his falsely calm expression again.

" I don't think that's any of your business." he answered coldly. I raised my eyebrows.

" I think when someone mentions my safety and danger toward me it becomes my business don't you?" How could he possibly think otherwise?

" I guess it depends on your point of view." I was beginning to get frustrated. Here we were dancing around the real questions that hung in the air, and I was freely letting it happen. I clenched my fists for a moment before releasing the tension and sighing.

" Why did you say that you almost killed me?" I asked him quietly, prepared for any answer he would give me. I saw him shrug.

" It's true." A cold chill settled in my body at those words, so blatantly said with no emotion at all, like they were meaningless. But, his words earlier proved that thought wrong. He did care that he almost killed me. He wasn't cold and heartless, he did have feelings. I felt myself calm down at that reasoning, and nodded my head.

" Why do you want to kill me?" I asked him quietly. He looked at me for a moment, his light eyes swimming with some emotion I couldn't identify in the dark, before shaking his head.

" I don't." he said simply. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

" You just said that you wanted to kill me. Why do you want to?" I asked him again.

" I _wanted_ to. Past tense. Not anymore." he clarified. Oh. That's good. I don't think I'd be able to handle hearing his reasoning when he was just across the room from me, nothing but air separating us.

" What changed?" I asked him, relief flooding through my body.

" Everything." And here we go again with the vague answers. I sighed, and laughed quietly.

" That's frustrating, you know?" He laughed in a whisper.

" Yes." Oh, so he knew that he was frustrating me. He was trying to get me riled up. Wasn't that just great?! I shook my head and glared at him.

" Back to the subject at hand." He smirked at me, waiting. " Why did you want to kill me?" His eyes seemed to darken at the question before he sighed.

" Your scent." he answered. I nodded my head, exasperated.

" Yes, I know. That's what you said to your sister. But what does that mean?" You wouldn't kill someone just because they smelled good or not. He looked at me with a look of indecision on his face. Suddenly, he pulled out his cell phone and looked at the screen. In the light of his phone, I saw a flash of disbelief cross his face, before he sighed and put the device away.

" Okay then," he said before looking back up to me. " let me be more specific. I wanted to kill you because of the scent of your blood."

………I blinked. What? The scent of my….blood?

" You're joking, right?" He is from a circus of course; he would find this a funny joke to play on someone. He shook his head.

" No. You do smell simply enticing, and in truth, if I wasn't in control of that side of my nature, you would've been dead long ago." he said, grimly. In my shock, I couldn't find anything in his face or tone that was meant to scare me. He was just stating the facts as they were.

I swallowed, finding my throat exceedingly dry. I blinked again and tried to clear my scratchy throat.

" Umm, well….that's…unexpected." he laughed at me. " What?" I asked him, angry that he was laughing at me now.

" Nothing." he assured me, silencing his laugh. " You're actually handling this very well." he pointed out.

" How did you expect me to react?" I asked him, none of this really registering in my mind at the moment. I knew that if I even tried to comprehend everything he was trying to get me to believe…I wouldn't be able to handle it to well.

" Running, screaming, the usual things you get when you hear someone is a vampire." he said nonchalantly, before shrugging. " I'm not really that surprised though." he added.

" You're not?" He shook his head.

" You strike me as someone who's able to handle the things other people aren't." Hmmm…that's odd. There was a small pause between us, but I broke it.

" So…..is that what you are…a vampire?" I asked him hesitantly. He looked up at me, our eyes connecting intensely. Again there was that emotion that I could understand, warming his eyes in the shadows.

" Yes." The word came out somewhat strangled. As if he really didn't want to say, but some unspeakable force was making him.

I nodded once, and, surprisingly, found myself okay with it. Why should I be afraid? He's already said that he didn't want to kill me, and if he was going to harm me he would've done it earlier. Actually, he and his entire family were in a tent full of humans last night, and no one got hurt. That's got to count for something, right? But they do drink human blood, right?

I opened my mouth to ask him, but he shook his head and raised his hand.

" My turn." he said simply. I'm sure my face showed my confusion, because he shrugged. " You had your twenty questions, now it's my turn."

" We aren't playing twenty questions." I pointed out, frustrated that he's keeping me from asking my question.

" I say we are." he said, with a triumphant smile on his face. " I answered all of your questions-"

" Vaguely." I added.

" -yes, but I still answered them without a fight. So, you should show the same courtesy." he stated. I glared at him, and pulled the blanket around my shoulders.

" What if I don't want to?" I asked him, raising my chin a fraction. I saw his eyes flash dangerously.

" I could always make you, but I have enough trouble control myself around you, so that may end badly." He paused, allowing that to sink in. I shuddered in voluntarily. " So, do it the easy way, and just answer my questions." he concluded. I shuddered again and nodded.

" Good." he thought for a minute before looking back at me. " Why were you at the circus last night? You don't seem like someone who would go to one." he asked me, hitting the nail on the head with my personality. No, I don't usually go to circus'. But…

" Jessica." I answered truthfully and just as vaguely as he had. He didn't seem fazed by it, he just nodded.

" Why are you friends with her? By her thoughts and what she said…she doesn't seem like a good friend." She's not.

" I'm not." I smirked at him. This was going to be a fun game. Me mimicking him, he trying to hide the fact that it angers him.

" What?" he asked me, not finding another way to phrase his confusion without a question. I laughed at him.

" You said "are". Present tense. I'm not." His nostrils flared for a moment.

" Why were you friends with her then?" he asked curtly. I giggled, but quickly composed myself when he shot a glare at me, then I shrugged.

" I was new, she was nice to me. Then she just stuck to me. I helped her through some things, and that just strengthened the tie between us." He thought about that for a minute.

" What did you help her through?" he asked me. Drugs, alcohol, sex, lies, crowds, theft, jail, boys, exile, rehab, hospitals, parents….the list goes on. I looked Edward in the eye.

" Being a teenager." He rolled his eyes, but nodded his head.

" Are you going to forgive her?" I shook my head immediately.

" She was begging me for forgiveness last night and today, but…no. I'm better off without her and I'm kind of upset with myself for not realizing that sooner." I said. Edward appraised me for a moment before nodding his head.

" I agree…What's your favorite color?" he asked me. I stared at him for a moment, before laughing.

" My favorite color? Seriously?" I asked between giggles. He nodded, his face somber.

" Umm, it changes from day to day, but….can I ask why you want to know?" I giggled out. He cracked a small smile, and leaned his head against the wall.

" I felt that if I'm going to be coming here every night-because I will be-I might as well get to actually know you." he said. I felt my heart jump excitedly at the thought of him-this vampiric god- coming here every night. Ugh! No! I can't be thinking like that!! I shook my head minutely, before nodding it.

" That makes sense." I said. Edward smiled at me, and fired off his next question. His questions were very direct and nothing like mine were. He asked everything from my favorite subject in school to my favorite books. And I answered each one easily, thinking about ridiculous it was that the only questions he could think to ask me were about my favorites.

After what seemed like forever though, he stood up.

" And that's twenty." he announced. I nodded, feeling my eyelids droop. I suppressed a yawn as he walked toward me. " I apologize, Bella. I forgot that you need to sleep." I opened my eyes, not realizing that I had shut them, and looked at him groggily.

" S'okay." I slurred. I heard him chuckle, but it sounded muffled in my ears. Then I felt his icy arms encircle me briefly, as he lifted me up only to lie me back down on the bed. Then he covered me up with the blanket and brushed my hair back out of my face. He was being so gentle with me now. It was strange, thinking about how when we first met he was glaring at me murderously, and now…he was tucking me into bed. I looked up at him. His eyes were bright as he smile serenely down on me.

" Goodnight, Bella. I'll see you tomorrow." he said quietly, his hand lingered on my cheek for a second more, before he disappeared from my sight. I smiled tiredly, before allowing my eyes to shut.

Tonight has certainly been eventful. I overheard two people-whom I later learned were vampires-talk about how close I had been to death, captured one of them, and played an unintentional game of twenty questions with him. And in retrospect…this all went better than I thought it would, I thought as my mind began to fog over and I was lost to the darkness.

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**A/N: LONGEST CHAPTER!!!!!! :D See, I spoil you guys! Hehehe…don't get your hopes up, Edward and Bella will not be experiencing any romantic feelings toward each other for a long time (For those who read WMHE? It really wasn't until Ch. 23 that it happened, so….)they're just on the cusp of friendship at the moment! **

**Reviews make my world go round! If my world stops turning then catastrophes will attack my world time after time again until it is no more!!! *begins hyperventilating* Don't let that happen, and REVIEW!!!!! :D**


	11. Drugs and Surprises

**A/N: I love Glee! Glee makes me happy! I am bestowed with glee by Glee!!! hehehe, that's the thing I made up while I was watching GLEE(!!!!!!!) last night!!!! I was so excited and I'm still really happy about Glee, so......GLEE!!!!!!!! :D Anyway...now that that's over with...I thank you all for your reviews, they make my day and force to me to become so overly happy I have to start singing gleeful songs from Glee ;)**

**Disclaimer: I love Glee! I love Twilight! I love Edward! I love Jasper! I love Emmett! I love Carlisle! I love Alice! I love Rosalie! I love Esme! I love them all!!!!!!!!........alas*strikes dramatic pose* I must love from afar. For they do not belong to me.**

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BPOV

Dreams fluttered in and out of my mind as I slept. Yet, as each transitioned into the next, I had already forgotten what the one before was about. The only one that remained in my mind as I crossed back over into the conscious world was…confusing.

_Edward stood in front of me, a full foot away of empty space between the two of us. His eyes were a light butterscotch color- friendly, warm, inviting. I continued to stare up into his eyes, never blinking for fear he may disappear in a flash. He slowly raised his cold hand and brushed the back of it across my cheek. I found myself leaning into his touch, relishing as the coolness of his skin electrified my skin. _

_He smiled crookedly at me, before taking a step, moving to where we were now nose to nose, his hand cradling my head. I felt my breath stop for a moment as his washed over me. My heart stuttered. _

_God, what is he doing to me? When did my body start reacting so dramatically to him? When did my heart begin stuttering? When to my breath begin to be stolen by a mere glance from him?_

_And when did I start longing for him?_

_His smile softened even more, and his hand pressed firmly against my face, holding me in place. Then, his eyes never leaving mine, he slowly-so agonizingly slow-leaned his face toward mine……._

Then the most horrible of all creations known as the alarm clock, woke me up. Thankfully, it looked like Edward had left hours ago, so he didn't have to witness my bout of indignation as I threw the alarm clock at the wall for waking me up before the dream was complete. Afterwards, I just laid there, trying to explain to myself why I was so bothered of being interrupted, why I wanted to see how that would play out.

Hmm, let's see all the reasons this doesn't make sense and isn't ethical.

1. After cutting off my friendship with Jessica and becoming a social outcast as school, I need to get my life back on track. I need to learn to adjust to the fact that I am now public enemy number 1, and I cannot do that if I have confused emotions about Edward.

2. I barely knew him!!! We had met, what two days ago? That is not near enough time to know someone well enough to be feeling this way about him!

3. Let's not forget that he kind of sort of stalked for a full twenty-four hours! He came into my room while I was asleep! He followed me! He didn't leave my room when he had the chance to!

He didn't leave my room, when he the chance…why didn't he leave? That was the question that revolved around my mind as I got ready for the Friday ahead of me.

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School is the epitome of misery. Even as I drifted through the halls, questions revolving in my mind, clouding my senses so I could not know what was going on around me...school and the people within still bestowed a hefty dose of misery on me. I would hear people whisper imaginary rumors around me, see/feel their glares penetrating my walls, and I could feel the isolation as I sat alone during lunch for the first time in my life.

Not even my everlasting questions could save me from it.

It's already been a day! Why can't they just get over it? So two friends had had a huge fight in the middle of the cafeteria and one of them had decided to spread nonexistent words around the school...so what? It's not like it never happens in the mindless T.V shows they all watch. And yet, they just couldn't let it go that I had "hurt" one of the most "sweetest" and most "popular" girl in the school (at least that's what they're calling her now).

But I made it. I had dodged glares and volleyballs, and successfully made it through the day. I was actually quite proud of myself as I walked out of the gym and into the parking lot. I hadn't let it get to me. I hadn't let them break me down, because they had no power to do so. They had no power over me and were in no position to even try to hurt me, so I wasn't going to let him.

A small smile spread across my face as I made my way to my truck. Confidence is key to surviving high school. It only took me four years and the ending of a friendship to realize that.

I was nearing my truck, when a quiet yet very noticeable purr filled the lot. I could almost hear students heads turning to place the noise, and then there was an eruption of excited chatter. Looks like the children have found a new shiny toy to play with, I thought bitterly. Curious despite myself, I lifted my head and looked to see the new object of their affections.

Hmm...shiny was right, I thought briefly, before taking in the scene. Pulling up next to my truck was a shiny silver Volvo, easily the nicest car here. The windows were tinted, so I was unable to see who the driver was. It couldn't be a new student, seeing as school had already let out, adn Charlie (or anyone, for that matter) hadn't spoken of anyone moving into town. The car parked next to mine, and, leaving the engine running, the driver side door opened.

When a pale hand came into view, gripping the top of the door, I knew immediately who it was. Only one person had pale hands with such long fingers gracing them. I sighed and continued walking, never really taking my eyes away from the car as he pulled himself out, shut the door, and leaned against it. Our eyes connected the second his came into view, and his mouth twitched into a crooked smile.

I heard the entire female school population swoon at the smile, and heard the male side grumble incoherently. I saw him chuckle quietly as I made my way to him.

" What are you doing here?" I asked him, ignoring the conversations brought up after seeing me talking to him. I tried to sound aggravated (he is, once again, turning up out of nowhere. It gets tiring), but secretly...I was pleased to see him. Somewhere in my mind, I had been dreading waiting all day to see him again. It also dreaded the fact that whenever I thought we would see each other again, it'd be in the dead of night and we would have to be quiet and secretive. Now, though, I get to see him in the open, right after school.

I like that.

His smiled widened. " I couldn't wait to see you." he said simply, echoing my thoughts. Hmm, maybe he can read my mind after all. " Is that a problem?" he asked, teasingly. I shook my head, uttering a quick "no", making him laugh. He pushed himself away from the door and grabbed my hand. I was aware of how the students were suddenly quiet now, but...that thought was overshadowed by the energy that flowed through my hand, up my arm, and circulated through my body. He pulled me to the otherside of the car, and opened the door for me, not letting go of my hand until I was comfortably seated in the car.

Then, he walked around the car quickly, and hopped into his seat. Quickly and silently, he pulled out of the parking lot, leaving behind over three hundred gaping students.

" I'll have Alice come get your truck later." he said, as he pulled onto the main highway. I nodded once, still in a state of shock from the electricity I was sure had surged through my body. I had never felt anything like it, it's a hard feeling to describe. It wasn't painful in a way that a real electric shock would be, but like an addiction. It was painful in a way that intensified when it was gone, because my supply had run out. Like I was a drug addict and that feeling was my drug.

God Bella, you are going insane! Comparing his touch to a drug cannot be healthy! I shook my head slightly, clearing it.

" So where are we going?" I asked, noticing that we were not heading toward my home. That and- "Why are you going so fast?" I asked, quickly. He laughed at me, a musical laugh that put Mozarts best work to shame.

" I always go this fast, even when I'm not in the car." he winked at me, silently reminding me that he was not human, as if I could forget. I rolled my eyes at him, making him chuckle again. " And for as to where we are going...it's a surprise." he said, pressing his foot down on the accelerator in excitment.

I hate surprises. I always have, but...seeing how excited he was for this, and knowing that it was him that was creating the surprise...I found myself not minding it so much.

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**A/N: I apologize for the horribleness of this chapter. 1)I really haven't been in the mood to write, so this is me getting back into the swing of things. 2)it's a filler....we all hate them. But.....reviews are still loved!!!!! :D**


	12. The Family

_Short recap: Bella and Jessica are no longer friends. After a long day filled with snide remarks from her classmates and confusion over Edward, Bella finally leaves school; only to find Edward in the parking lot saying that he has a surprise for her._

BPOV

I found myself staring at my hands as he drove. If I looked out the window, I couldn't pretend he was going the speed limit, and if I didn't keep my eyes fixated on my hands…they would wonder to him. And the last thing I wanted was to be caught staring at him. So…I became very interested in pushing the cuticles of my nails down. It kept me busy. The car was silent, other than the classical music that played softly in the back ground. He wasn't going to offer up any conversation, or any hints as to where he was taking me.

I suppressed a sigh. I really hated surprised, whether or not that came from a hot godlike vampire. I liked knowing what to expect and planning for it ahead of time. Otherwise, I'll more than likely embarrass myself.

"No twenty questions today?" he suddenly asked, his velvet voice cutting through the tense silence. I smirked, but didn't look up.

"Nineteen questions now." I heard the snap of his teeth clamping together in frustration. He obviously didn't like it when I beat him at his own game. He was silent for a moment, before he sighed.

"Okay then…how was your day today?" he asked me.

"Long…tiring…glad it's over." I answered curtly. Really, the people of Forks can't get over anything. So what if Jessica and I had a fight? So what if we aren't friends anymore? That doesn't make it a giant scandal! And it most certainly does not mean that I am the honorary target for volleyballs! "It'll be worse tomorrow." I added.

"Why's that?" he asked, curious and a little appalled. I looked at him skeptically, and regretted it instantly. He was looking at me-not the road-with worry clear on his gorgeous face. Why was he worried? A small part of me screamed in joy that he was worried about me…but I pushed that part back violently. I couldn't allow myself to even think that the guy who had wanted to kill me was worried about me.

"Mysterious attractive guy whom Jessica, the girl who just got her heart stomped on by her best friend, picks up said cold hearted best friend." I announced dramatically. "Rumors will fly…and so will dodge balls." I saw his knuckles tighten on the steering wheel.

"I won't let them hurt you." he all but spat through his teeth. I smiled inwardly at that. Maybe he did worry about me…

"It's fine. Next question." I don't think I could handle the stalker worrying about me. It was too strange. Edward sighed, before shaking his head.

"I'm afraid that's going to have to wait…we're here." he explained as he parked and shut off the car in the same moment. I raised my eyebrows and looked out the window…only to see that we were in the same meadow the circus had been held. The only difference was the tent. While the one I had seen was an eerie green and blue, this one was the standardized red and white. But…hadn't the flyer said that the circus would be one night only? And why would they change the tent?

My thoughts were interrupted by my door opening. I blinked, and saw that Edward had kindly opened my door for me, and was offering his hand. I hadn't even noticed him get out. My cheeks warmed up a little as I took his cool hand and got out of the car. He smiled crookedly at me.

"You look so confused." he laughed quietly, pulling me toward the tent. That small part squealed at the fact that he still held my hand, but…that was a very small part.

"I am. Didn't the flyer say that you were going to be here only one night?" I asked.

"It did. But what the flyer didn't say was that we have two separate circus'. The one you went to was for more….mature audiences. Actually, you and Jessica wouldn't have been able to get in if Alice hadn't had a vision about you." He pulled the flap to the tent back for me. "And then we have this circus, which is more like the stereotype and for younger audiences." Inside the tent was just as it was two nights ago. There were only a few changes, such as the tight rope that was now stretch from one end of the tent to the other.

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" Edward asked, pulling me toward the back of the tent, where another flap waited.

"Why do you do two shows? Why not stop after the first one? Why would vampires want to even do a circus in the first place?" None of this made sense. Everything I knew about vampires said that they were blood thirsty, fed from humans, couldn't come out in the day time, and they most certainly did not run a circus. Now Edward was proving to me that all of this is wrong!

He laughed quietly, "So many questions…". He lifted the flap, and we entered another portion of the tent. The room was considerably smaller than the main one and it was full of props and costumes. There was a long table in the middle of the room, which was surrounded by six people. I recognized them immediately, even though they were dressed so casually-the easiest one to recognize was the seductress-Rosalie-who was only wearing a satin robe.

They all looked up as Edward guided me further into the room. The expressions on their faces ranged from excited to politely welcoming to anger. I looked down, my face warming up under the intensity of their stares.

"Everyone, you remember Bella. Bella…everyone." There was no need for an introduction, I knew who they all were. Except for…cool fingers gripped my chin, and gently guided my face by up. The tall woman who took the tickets was standing in front of me, a kind smile on her face.

"We didn't get to formally meet. I'm Esme, Edward's mother-of-sorts." Her introduction was followed with a quick but sweet hug from her. Even though her arms were cold and hard around me…I felt warm for some reason. It wouldn't take long for me to have guessed that she was his mother…she just had a mothering air to her. "It's so good to finally know you." she continued, oddly. What did that mean? Esme pulled away with a smile before she pointedly looked at her son and went to go sit back at the table.

"Yes, yes, yes it's wonderful to finally meet the human." Rosalie sarcastically put with a roll of her eyes.

"Rose-" the strong man….Emmett…started, but she cut him off.

"What? Am I the only one who's angry at the fact that he didn't even think to discuss this with us, his family? All we got was Alice coming home saying that he wouldn't kill her, and that he was going to tell her! Shouldn't we have gotten a say?" She spat angrily.

"She would've found out anyway." The pixie psychic, Alice, pointed out, not even looking up from painting her nails as she spoke. "One way or another, Bella would've learned about vampires, and she would've come to us. This is the better way, trust me." she picked up her hand and blew on her nails, sending a sly wink in my direction. What exactly had this person seen about me? Beside me, Edward cringed and tightened his grip on my hand.

"I agree with Alice. My telling her is the best way."

"You still should've given us the choice. Our entire family is put at risk because you decide to go and break the rules!" Rosalie continued, glaring daggers at me.

"I agree with Rose." The empath, Jasper, said. "Though I have opposition to Bella," he tilted his head slightly at me. "you still should've discussed this with us first, Edward."

"Maybe," Edward relented. "but even if I had, I wouldn't have listened to Rosalie or Emmett for that matter. They lost the right to have an input in family discussions when they destroyed my cars and pianos." he gritted his teeth, as if reigning in the actuality of his anger toward them. Emmett laughed boisterously at that and even Rosalie cracked a smile.

"Now if you are done arguing with each other," the ringleader, Carlisle, interjected with a fatherly scolding tone, "Bella has some questions for us." he smiled at me warmly, welcoming me to the floor. My mouth went dry as every vampire waited patiently, Edward shaking with laughter beside me. He knew I hated attention, knew that I was more comfortable just asking him those questions in private, and now he was enjoying my pain.

"Umm, I guess all I really want to know is…why do you bother with a circus?" In the end that's all it really came down to. Why would vampires, who were considerably stronger and more powerful than humans, bothered with something as low class as a circus?

Carlisle nodded once and smile. "Yes, that is the main question, isn't it?" Edward brought me closer to the table and pulled out a chair for me beside Alice. She leaned over and kissed my cheek once, before smiling and returning to her nails. I blinked once at her, before looking at Carlisle, waiting for his answer. "It's a long story, that starts centuries ago…"

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**A/N: *waves white flag* Don't kill me. I'm here now, and this chapter actually came out surprisingly fast. If we're lucky, I may even have another one out today...I'll try to make the updates...not 8 months apart...more frequent :D I love reviews more than Rosalie and Emmett love destroying Edward's things! 3**


	13. Explanations

**A/N: WE GOT REVIEWS! and for that...I am back! :D Thank you all for your support!**

**Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! Nothing at all! **

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BPOV

"Vampires, witches, werewolves, all things that plague a childs nightmare, have been hunted to the point of near extinction of the centuries. We were thought of as cruel and malicious, those who seek the pain and suffering of humans for their own entertainment. For some...this is true." I shuddered at the thought. I had been able to keep my shock at bay when Carlisle mentioned the existence of other creatures. Hearing that there were some who weren't like the Cullens, who saught to entertain humans rather than themselves...I couldn't keep my disgust and horror away. I knew that people like the Cullen's were rare, but...I had hoped.

"And because of this hunts began. In fact, I came to be how I am today by joining one of those hunts." And that, my friends, is irony. "We were one of the few people who actually found the real monsters and..." Carlisle gestured to himself, allowing me to fill in the blanks. I nodded once, trying to put back the images my mind automatically came up with. Carlisle, less pale and less obviously inhuman, with some feral fiend at his throat. Without even knowing him that well...it still hurt to picture it.

"There is a coven known as the Volturi, who are revered at as the rulers of vampires. Seeing their subjects parish at the hands of those they thought of as weak and beneath them..." he sent me a small smile, showing me that he did not follow the "Volturi's" sentiments. I shrugged, not taking any offense to it. Compared to them, I was weak. And I was most definetely beneath them...on the food chain, at least. "So, they congregated and came up with a rule, one lone solitary rule that is possibly the only reason why our species can coexist-especially with humans rapid progression in technology. No exposure, we are to live away from humans, or in harmony with them without exposing ourselves for what we are."

"But-" I interrupted, confused. Wouldn't a circus do just that? Didn't they show an entire audience their impeccable speed, beauty, strength, and gifts? It was Emmett who answered me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, a smile on his face.

"Imagine seeing your worst enemy on the other side of a volleyball net, but rather than pelting him in the head with as much strength as you can muster...you only give enough to flick him on the nose. It SUCKS!" Emmett cried. There was complete silence for one moment as everyone stared at him. He looked around, shocked that no one was agreeing with him. "What?" Edward sighed from beside me, pinching the bridge of his nose. Carlisle smiled patiently at his son, a small chuckle ringing. Emmett looked around his family, a pout forming on his lips.

"You're tired of pretending to be something you're not." I summed up, hoping to make Emmett feel better. He immediately brightened up and smiled at me, his eyes excited. I guess moments like this happened a lot, but not many people stood up for him. "But wouldn't that be breaking the rule?" I was still confused on how a circus solved the identity issue. Carlisle turned to me to answer.

"Because of people like you, Bella, people who are skeptical of anything that is out of the normal that you are used to." I'm sure my confusion was very evident on my face. "We are able to be who we are, go how fast we would normally move, be as strong as we are, without fear of anyone screaming about vampires the next moment. Humans nowadays come up with explanations for anything and everything that they single out as odd, therefore, we are safe for a certain period of time. Hence why we do the adult show, the only one where we unleash our true selves, for one night only. We do not give anyone time to even suspect anything even close to the truth."

It seemed risky to me. There were always people who saw more than others, who thought differently than others, who could very easily come up with close assumptions as soon as they saw Carlisle move in the blink of an eye. And then, if word spread about The Cullen Circus, about how they did things that were simply impossible...pieces would be put together and then soon the puzzle would be solved. Humans may not be the strongest creatures on earth, but they had their moments were their pretty darn smart.

I was so puzzled over the entire situation, worried for the Cullen's safety, that I didn't even realize that I spoke of humans as if I was not one.

I decided to push those thoughts aside, for the moment. "But why the second night?" I asked, only to hear Rosalie scoff at me. I looked up in time to see her roll her eyes at me.

"Why should the children be ignored? Why should adults be the only ones to witness something spectacular? In a town as small as this, where no circus ever comes through, why should they be deprived of a great show?" She defended, seeming personally offended at the thought. I flinched back from her glare, as more questions raced through my mind. Yet, before I could voice them, she beat me to it. "And the reason why we have a regular circus then is because children are more persceptive, they would see right through us in a heart beat if we moved too fast." She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, rolling her eyes yet again, before turning to her family. "Now if you don't mind, Emmett and I are going to go hunt before the animals get here." she grabbed his hand and moved to leave. "Keep entertaining the human...try not to eat her." she taunted on the way out, trying to scare me I bet.

But I wasn't scared; I knew that they would do nothing to hurt me. Edward turned to me, about to assure my safety, but I interrupted him before he could start. "What kind of animals?" And the questions continued.

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**A/N: Short short chapter that I'm writing before school! :D I would like to thank you all again for the reviews! And also, I would like to point out... I updated all of my stories on the same day that I updated this...and it was THIS story-the story that had been left to burn and caramelize on the back burner since April-is the one that got the most hits (300 in one day!) :DDDDD This excites me! And it's great to know that you are all still there for me, holding out while I cook this fic to perfection! XD So...as you can expect...reviews are wanted and loved!**


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